We had become jaded, the two of us. The cost, the stress, the hassle. The overindulgence and the nauseating hangovers. The songs which jarred, the garish decorations, the embarrassing jumpers. The joy of giving, which could only be achieved via a painful, directionless, bad-tempered shopping trip. The warm fuzzy feeling, all too fleeting, replaced swiftly by a lingering guilt over excessive spending. The pleasure of a full tummy, accompanied by a wistful remark about 'three hours cooking for twenty minutes eating.' And once the main day was at an end, we'd be itching to get back to normal.
Christmas wasn't what it used to be.
But then you came along.
And suddenly, it's different.
Your sweet-sounding 'ooohs' and 'aaaahs' of excitement as you haphazardly pull back the window on your advent calendar. Each day you are even more happy than before to discover your chocolate treat, the smile upon your face as broad as if you have stumbled upon a great treasure. Your energetic moves to the Christmas songs on the radio, your knees bending in time with the music. You have no self-consciousness as you shake your limbs clumsily; you care not a jot who's watching. The way you point to the lights. 'There,' you say for emphasis, in case we've missed the glimmering beams which cut through the gloom. Your first taste of a mince pie, the way you screw up your face in distaste before deciding that actually, it wasn't so bad after all and yes please to another bite. The way you stare transfixed at the snow globe upon the shelf, your eyes wide at the tiny winter scene playing out within. And your first meeting with Father Christmas, a bemused visit, but the present he gives you so very well received. You tear at the paper with an urgency, an eagerness to get to the cuddly toy within which makes you grin cheekily.
And as we watch you, the joy, the excitement, the curiosity dancing in your eyes, your emotions spread to us by osmosis. Our hearts leap like yours at the sight of a beautifully decorated tree. We open our mouths and let our voices ring out to join in a festive song, whilst you babble along contentedly. We excitedly write our Christmas cards, a task made even more special by the fact that they have been 'designed' by you. And we look forward to the 25th with joyful, almost childlike anticipation, knowing that that date will bring a beautiful perspective as we watch the festivities unravel through your eyes.
You've given us back the magic.
You've reminded us that the season isn't all about the shopping, the spending, the cooking, the cleaning, the task. Rather it's about the laughing, the playing, the dancing, the singing, the loving, the feeling. You've given us a joyful gift - the gift of feeling young and carefree again. As we watch you, we are transported back to our own childhoods; every now and then, we will catch a faraway look in each other's eyes, and as our vision fogs, we are reliving the same feelings that you, our darling daughter, are experiencing now.
But, the magic isn't just for Christmas; it's for life. It's in the ordinary every day. It's in your first bite of cake, a delicious treat to be discovered. It's in the way you look on in awe at the bubbles we blow together. It's in the way you kick out your feet excitedly as you fly high upon a swing. It's in the way we pull funny faces together in the mirror. It's in the way we break into your favourite song in a busy restaurant, just to make you laugh. It's in the way it feels to just live, without self-consciousness, without self-censorship, without fear of the judgement of others.
Being an adult is tough, and some days it can be lacking in joy. But you've helped us to rediscover the magic, the sense of wonderment than can be found in the simplest of things. Through your eyes, the world is a kaleidoscope of beauty.